Area Briefs

July 29, 2006

BASEBALLSchrage hires Lawler Scott Lawler has been named Notre Dame's primary assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator by first-year Irish head coach Dave Schrage. Lawler already is on the job and has hit the recruiting trail along with Schrage. Lawler previously served as an assistant to Schrage at Northern Illinois University during the 2000 and '01 seasons and then for three years at the University of Evansville ('03-'05). He now is reunited with Schrage after spending the 2005-06 season as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Arkansas-Little Rock. JUNIOR SOFTBALLChet Waggoner routs The Chet Waggoner junior softball all-star team defeated Eaglesdale in the state tournament Friday, 12-0, in five innings. Tara Hicks and Jenny Bals combined for the one-hit shutout. Angela Miller and Kayla Noble (twice) doubled for Chet Waggoner, while Beth Cossey and Lizzie Elston added triples in the win. TENNISDoebler leaves ND for PSU Notre Dame men's tennis associate head coach Todd Doebler has resigned in order to be hired as the new head men's tennis coach at Penn State. Doebler spent four seasons on the Irish staff, helping Notre Dame go from missing the NCAA tournament in 2003 to reaching the round of 16 and finishing 2005-06 with a 19-9 record and ranked 17th nationally. Ficks is pick for Indians Mark Ficks has been tabbed as the new girls tennis coach for St. Joseph's High School. Ficks is involved with tennis at the Lakeland Athletic Club in Niles. He replaces Laura Whitney, who resigned to take a job in Houston. SOFTBALLKeith back at St. Joe's St. Joseph's High School has hired Earl Keith for a second stint to coach the Indians' softball program. Keith replaces Dan Olinger, who resigned after the 2006 season. Keith coached the Indians during the 2005 season after Olinger was fired. Olinger was then rehired for the 2006 season. VOLLEYBALLHunt nets kills galore St. Joseph's junior volleyball player Alex Hunt has helped the U.S. Girls Youth National Team get off to a 3-0 start in round-robin play of the Norceca Girls Youth Continental Volleyball Championships in Gainesville, Fla. Hunt, a 6-foot outside hitter, had eight kills as the U.S. defeated Puerto Rico, 25-13, 25-14, 25-12, Thursday night. On Wednesday, Hunt slammed seven kills as the U.S. topped Mexico, 25-14, 25-14, 25-18. The U.S. squad, which beat Honduras 3-0 Tuesday, was slated to play Canada late Friday night and the Dominican Republic tonight to complete round-robin play in the six-team tournament at the University of Florida. The U.S. and Dominican Republic were each 3-0 and Canada 2-1 prior to matches Friday. The tournament will conclude with classification matches for final placings on Sunday. The tourney champion and runner-up each qualify for the 2007 FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship (U-18) to be held at Mexicali and Tijuana, Mexico.